The Doctrine of Justification, Treatise · Chapter 17
CHAPTER XVI.
TOVCHING the benefite it ſelfe, which Chriſt beſtowes vponupon thoſe that receyve him: although we ſhould grant it to be the ſame in ſenſe which they expound it to be: yet it will never inferre, that in this place, To receyve Chriſt and beleeve in his name, is to be vnderſtood of Iuſtification: but (according as ſome of themſelves ſay) of the worke of God in making vsus to beleeve. Of the which followeth, the dignitie and prerogative of being ſonnes: as the firſt and immediate fruite of faith, in Ieſus Chriſt. In which ſenſe we denie not, but this place may be commodiouſly interpreted: although it ſeemeth that the ſpirite of God doth meane ſomewhat more. For vnderſtanding whereof, we are firſt to conſider the third point, which we have ſaid to be the ground of the miſtaking of this place: which ſtands in the not diſtinguiſhing, betwixt the Fathers worke and the Sonnes, in our Adoption: although in the ſame place, they bee cleerely diſtinguiſhed by the Evangeliſt. Which overſight maketh great confuſion in knowledge.
For we are to vnderſtand, that although the three perſons of the Trinitie, be neither in ſubſiſting nor working to bee ſeparated: yet in both, they are ſtill to be diſtinguiſhed: and never to be confounded: if ever we thinke to have a cleere and vnconfuſed ſight, of theſe great workes of grace, which they performe in vsus.
Now in this place, the worke of the Father, and the worke of the Sōne in our Adoption, are cleerely and diſtinctly ſet down. Like as in other parts, the worke of the ſpirit, in the ſame Adoption, is diſtinguiſhed from both: The worke of the Father, is our Vnion with Chriſt: when he brings vsus vntounto him, and makes vsus to receive him, by beleeving in his name. And this is our comming to the Sonne: Which is the proper worke of the Father. For none can come vntounto the Sonne, except the Father drawe him. And this is the principall act of our Adoption: which moſt properly is to be called Adoption: and as we have ſaid, conſiſteth chiefly in our calling. For ſeeing moſt properly, it is the worke of the Father to adopt: certayne it is, that our Adoption, moſt properly muſt conſiſt in the action of the Father. For which cauſe, the Fathers worke, in making vsus to receyve the Sonne, that is to beleeve in his name, is in this place expounded, by way of ſimilitude, in a borrowed ſpeech, that is, to be borne of God. For the begetting and working of faith in our hearts, is the chiefe and principall part of our ſpirituall birth: beeing the roote & ground of all that followeth.
The worke of the Sonne is next ſubioyned: which ſtands in giving to thoſe who have receyved him, prerogative, or as ſome do render the word, dignitie, as others authoritie, and as others power to bee the Sonnes of God. Of all which ſignifications of the word, there is none which doth not fitt this place: without giving any advantage vntounto the Papiſts, in their forged ſenſe of the word power. Which benefite proceeding from the Sonne, is alwayes to bee diſtinguiſhed in our Adoption, from our Vnion and communion with him by faith: which is the worke of the Father: vponupon which, as the cauſe, dependeth the other as the effect: for to thoſe, whom the Father doth give to the Sonne, to be his brethren, and in vnitie with him, to be the Sonnes of God: the ſonne doth give the prerogative, the dignitie, the authoritie and the power belonging to the ſonnes of God. And this work conſiſteth in the ſonnes bringing vsus to the Father. For none can come to the Father, but by the Sonne: for Chriſt ſuffred for vsus, that he might bring vsus to God, 1. Pet. chap. 3. verſ. 18. And this is that, which is ſo often ſpoken of in ſcriptures by Chriſt himſelfe: that to thoſe whom the Father giveth him, to thoſe he giveth eternall life: and that he giveth the glorie that the Father hath given him, vntounto thoſe that beleeve in him. For whatſoever prerogative, dignitie, &c. the Father hath given vntounto the Sonne, the ſame doth the Sonne impart to vsus that are his brethren. For the prerogatives and priviledges of ſonne-ſhip, appertayne onelyonly to Ieſus Chriſt, as the onelyonly ſonne of God. and therefore it belongeth to him alone, to communicate thoſe prerogatives, to ſuch as the Father doth firſt by Adoption make his brethren. For the prerogative of a ſonne, is a dignitie depēding, not vponupon the eſſence and nature of our Redeemer, but vponupon his ſubſiſting and perſonalitie. For as the prerogative of a father, is proper to the firſt perſon: ſo the prerogative of a ſonne, is proper to the ſecond perſon. and therefore, as we doe holde that to adopt, is the prerogative of the firſt perſon, becauſe he onelyonly is the Father: ſo to communicate the prerogatives belonging to thoſe who are adopted to bee children, is the prerogative of the ſecond perſon, becauſe he only is the Sonne. And therefore is it ſaid, if the Sonne make vsus free, wee shall bee free indeed, Iohn chap. 8. ver. 36. for freedome, is the prerogative of a Sonne, and not of a ſervant. And therefore the whole libertie and freedom, bee it from ignorance, Sathan, ſinne or death, which the ſaints enioy in Chriſt, is called by the Apoſtle, the libertie of the Sonnes of God. in which libertie is comprehended, both our wiſdome, righteouſnes, ſanctification and redemption. Which prerogatives, when we doe enioy them, then may we bouldly eſteeme our ſelves the Sonnes of God. And this is that, which it ſeemes the ſpirit of God doeth meane, when he ſayeth, that Chriſt doth give vsus the prerogative to be the Sonnes of God: that is, that he beſtowes vponupon vsus ſuch priviledges and bleſſings, or ſuch authoritie and power, over all our ſpirituall enemies, as may make vsus, not only to glorie in God the Father of Chriſt, as our God and our Father: but alſo to carrie our ſelves in our whole converſation, as becommeth the ſonnes of God. For we do eſteeme, that to be adopted or made ſonnes, and to receyve prerogative to be ſonnes, are two diſtinct benefites, of the two firſt perſons of the Trinitie. For a man may bee a Sonne, and yet wante the prerogative, dignitie, authoritie, and power of a Sonne. For as ſaith the Apoſtle, Gallath. chap. 4. verſ. 1. 2. The heyre while hee is a childe differeth nothing from a ſeruant, though he be Lord of all, but is vnderunder Tutors and Governours. vntill the time appointed of the Father. Which cuſtome of men, the Apoſtle applyeth to the Church of God. to let vsus know, that it is a thing to be conſidered in the children of God, aſwell as in the children of men: ſo the overſight ſtandes in the not diſtinguiſhing betwixt the being of a ſonne ſimply, which comes by procreation and birth: and the being of a ſonne in prerogative, dignitie, authoritie and power of a ſonne, which comes by age and fulnes of time, appointed by the Father.
For every child is a ſonne to his Father, as ſoone as he is borne: yet longe after he receyveth not the prerogative of a ſonne: but ſtill is in condition as a ſervant.
But when the time appointed, for his freedome commeth: he, who was before a ſonne by birth, but a ſervant in condition, becōmeth to be a ſonne likewiſe by condition, aſwell as by birth: when as the prerogative, or dignitie, or authoritie, or power, to be a ſonne in eſtate, is given vntounto him. And in this ſenſe is this place to be vnderſtood, if it be rightly taken: that is, that vntounto them who were borne of the Father, and ſo which were ſonnes by the Fathers begetting of them: Chriſt the ſonne did give prerogative, or dignitie, or authoritie, or power, to be ſonnes in cō dition and ſtate. For as we have ſaid before, the benefit of being ſonnes ſimply, by begetting, or birth, or by adoption, is the proper worke of the Father: but to make vsus ſonnes in the condition and eſtate, belonging vntounto ſonnes, is the proper worke of the Sonne. For we have no boldnes to call the Father our Father, nor have wee any acceſſe vntounto him as vntounto our Father, but through Chriſt alone. Neither have we the libertie of the ſonnes of God, from ſinne, either by righteouſnes or ſanctification: nor any part of the glory of the ſonnes of God, but frō Chriſt alone: in whom doth all fulnes dwell, and out of whoſe fulnes, we all receyve: and by whom only we come vntounto the Father. And this diſtinction of theſe two works, of the Father, and of the Sonne, ſhineth cleerly in the wordes of the Evangeliſt: when he ſayeth, that Chriſt did give prerogative to bee the ſonnes of God, only to thoſe who were borne of God: plainelie diſtinguiſhinge the Fathers worke, in begetting vsus to be his ſonnes, from the worke of the ſonne in giving vsus the prerogative to bee ſonnes. which verifieth that to be a ſonne by birth, and to be a ſonne by prerogative, are not to be taken in one ſenſe, nor for one benefite: but for two diſtinct actions, of the firſt two perſons of the Trinitie. Which the ſame Apoſtle Iohn ſeemeth playnly to confirme, 1. Epiſt. chap. 3. verſ. 1. 2. When he aſcribeth the benefite, of being called the ſonnes of God, vntounto the love of the Father, and the benefite of the beeing that which the ſonnes of God are, in prerogative and dignitie, vntounto the Sonne: by whoſe appearing vntounto vsus, wee are made that, which the ſonnes of God ſhould bee. And therefore, in this life, according as hee hath appeared vntounto vsus, by the Fathers worke in our calling, bringing vsus vntounto him, illuminating our vnderſtandinge with the knowledge of him, and by faith making vsus one withhim: ſo have wee receyved the prerogative to be the ſonnes of God, in righteouſnes and holines, with freedome and boldneſſe to call his Father our Father: but becauſe as yet he is not manifeſted vntounto vsus in all the prerogatives of the ſonnes of God, therefore (although wee bee now, both ſonnes by Adoption, and likewiſe in ſome meaſure by prerogative and dignitie,) yet it is not fully manifeſted what wee ſhall be: but when he ſhall appeare in glory, then ſhall wee appeare like him, in all things. In which likenes either in parte, or in whole, accompliſhed in vsus, ſtandeth the prerogative of the ſonnes of God. For cleering of which point, wee are to obſerve that ſaying of the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. chap, 1. verſ. 30. For of him you are in Chriſt Jeſus, who is made of God vntounto vsus, wiſedome, righteouſnes, ſanctification and redemption. In theſe wordes two diſtinct actions, are attributed vntounto the Father, which muſt needes preceed in order, that action of the Sonne, whereby he gives vsus prerogative to be the ſonnes of God.
The firſt action of the Father is the making of Chriſt vntounto vsus, wiſedome, righteouſnes, ſanctification and redemption: which are indeed the prerogatives of the ſonnes of God.
The ſecond action of the Father is, the making vsus to bee in Chriſt: to the end that we may bee pertakers of theſe bleſſings, which Chriſt is made of the Father, vntounto vsus. Which action of making vsus to be in Chriſt, cannot be diſtinguiſhed from making of vsus ſonnes and Adopting of vsus.
VponUpon which two workes of the Father, followeth the action of the Sonne: who when we are by the Father, in him, hee maketh vsus pertakers of all his own prerogatives, dignities & glory.
And after this worke of the Sonne, followeth the action of the holy Ghoſt: ſealing vp in our hearts, both our Adoption or ſon-ſhip, and the prerogatives belonging to the ſonnes of God.
Of this diſtinct conſideration, of the diſtinct working, of the Father, Sonne and the Holy Ghoſt, it may eaſilie appeare, that the worke of the Sonne, is miſtaken in this place, when it is interpreted to be Adoption, or making of vsus ſonnes ſimplie: wheras it is to bee vnderſtood, of a benefite, ſucceeding our beeing ſonnes by Adoption, which is already accompliſhed, when we are begotten and borne of God the Father: after which, it is the Sonnes parte, to make vsus in condition and eſtate the ſonnes of God: by communicating with vsus, the prerogative, and dignitie, and authoritie which is proper to the ſonnes of God.
Thus fare have we thought good to ſpeake touching the order of the benefits of God: in which point we have more largely inſiſted, becauſe it is the ſpeciall ground, wherevpon ryſeth, not only the overſight of good men, but alſo divers hereſies of wicked men, in this age. And we have further labored to cleere that place of Iohn, which moſt miſleades men in this matter: that thereby it may be manifeſt, that by the Scriptures rightly vnderſtood, Adoption goeth in order before Iuſtification.